Tongue-switch.



PATENTED OCT. 30, 1906.

G. M. ERVIN. TONGUE SWITCH.

.APPLIOATION FILED JUNE 6,1905.

2 SHEETS-SHEET l ATTORNEY.

' INVENTOR I gi \W WITNESSES PATENTED OCT. 30, 1906. G. M. ERVIN. TONGUES'WITGH. APPLICATION FILED JUNE6,1905.

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UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE GEORGE M. ERVIN, OF JOHNSTOWN, PENNSYLVANIA,ASSIGNOR TO THE LORAIN STEEL COMPANY, A CORPORATION OF PENNSYLVANIA. I

TONGUE-SWITCH.

. Application filed-June 6,1906. SerialNo. 264,025.

accompanying drawings, which form apart.

of this specification.

My invention has relation to certain new and useful improvements intongue-switches, and is designed to provide a switch in which the usualtongue pin or pin'tle is dispensed with, in whichthe tongue has anenlarged bearing at its heel end and'i's prevented from kicking orthrowing under the action of passing car-wheels, and which isconstructed throughout in a manner to withstand the conditions of moderntraffic.

With these objects in view my invention consists in the novelconstruction, arrangement, and combination of parts, all substantiallyas hereinafter described, and pointed out in the appended claims,reference being had to the accompanying drawings, in which Figure 1 is aplan view of a tongue-switch embodying my invention; Fig. 2, a plan viewof the hard-metal surface 'or bed-plate removed; Fig. 3, a plan view ofthe body portion of the structure; and Figs. 4, 5, 6, and 7, sectionstaken, respectively, on the lines 4 4, 55,66,and77ofFig.1.

The letter designates the body portion of the structure, preferably anintegral casting of iron or steel, and B B B the connect-- ing railmembers. I have shown these members as seated in pocketed arms a of thecasting A, with fillings IHof spelter, as described and claimed in myPatent No. 7 84,735,dated March 14, 1905. While I refer suchconstruction, it is, however in v e endent of my present invention,-andthe sai rail members may be secured-to said casting in any suitablemanner or they may be cast integral therewith.

C designates the movable ton e, which is in general of the form shown int e patent to Kress, No. 661,540, of November 13,1000 in that it iscircularly enlarged at its heel end 0, such enlargement having theflange-grooves c c for both tracks formed in its surface. I have,however, dispensed with the pin or pintle employed in the Kressconstruction and Specification of Letters Patent.

-metal, suc v not be machined, and any inaccuracy in fit- Patented Oct.30, 1906.

have provided novel means whereby the tongue is bedded and held toitsseat. To this end I provide the casting A with a bed or surface plateD of hard metal", which extends the entire length of the tongue. Thisplate D fits in a pocket of the casting A, substantially as shown in Fi's. 4 and 5 in which it is secured in any suita le manner, with a beddingd of spelter or similar material. I have shown it and the casting Aprovided withcoacting key-seats e to receive suitable securing-keys. "Inthis plate D is the pocket D for the tongue C, terminating at the heelend in'a flat circular portion 1), which forms the bearing-surface'forthe enlarged heel portion 0 of the tongue. The opposlte sides of saidportion 0 are beveled, as shown'at c in Fig. 4, and seated against thesebeveled portions are retaining-keys F, which are secured in place bywedges f, Fig. 4, or in any other suitable manner. This fastening, whiletight enough to securely hold the tongue to its seat, does not Iplreventthe. slight pivotal movement whic occurs when the tongue is thrown fromone of its positions to the other. Owing to the provision of the beveledportions 0 and the corresponding form of the keys F the tongue cannotlift, and the customary holding-down attachments for the tongue aredispensedwith. By cutting out the filling of soft metal the wedges canbe driven out,

and the tongue can then e readily removed.

As will be noted, all this 'can be done from the surface of the switchand without disturbin the adjacent pavement. 7

An important feature of my invention is that it entirely dispenses withthe use of the usual tongue pin or pintle. It is diflicult to provide asatisfactory bearin for these pins or pintles, especially when t etongue, the pin, orany as manganese steel, which canportion of the bedare of hard ting these parts increases the wear due to the severegrinding and pounding which they receive in service, so that loosenessand diffiby the adjacent lateral portions of the structure. The weightof the car-wheel being upon the tongue in passing the heel on bothessary to elongate the ton tracks, the tongue is prevented from throwingor kicking under the wheels. The tongue may also be made shorter andstiffer than is possible in the ordinary switch, especially inlong-radius switches, Where it is usually nece in order to getsuflicient width at its hee end to carry the p The walls of the seat forthe enlargement 0, formed in part by the curved walls (1 of thesurface-plate D and in part by the ends of the rail members B- B can bereadily milled or ground to form a good fit with the edges of saidenlargement, whereby its bearing-surface is increased.

Having thus described my invention, What I claim as new, and desire tosecure by Letters Patent, is-

1. In a pinless ton e-switch, the combination with a tongue Ilavin acircularly-enlarged heel portion formed with flangeways for both tracks,of retaining devices engaging said enlarged portion to hold it to itsseat, said devices being releasable from the surface of the switch.

2. In a inless tongue-switch, the combination wit a tongue'having acircular enlarged heel portion provided with an unbroken bottombearing-surface, and With flangeways for both tracks in its u persurface, of holding-down means for sai tongue, engaging the enlargedheel portion only.

3. In a pinless tongue-switch, the combination with a tongue having anenlarged circular bearing portion at its heel end, said portion beingformed with beveled sides, of retaining-keys fitting the said beveledsides and having a holding-down action thereon, and means for securingthe said keys.

4. In a pinless tongue-switch, the combination of a body portion havingcurved bearing-walls for the rear portion of the heel end of the tonue-switch, of a surface or bed plate removab y secured to the bodyportion and formed with a pocket for the tongue which terminates in abroad flat bearing-surface at the heel end and is formed with curvedbearing-Walls for the front portion of the heel of the tongue.

5. In a pinless tongue-switch of the character described, thecombination with the removable bed or surface plate having theapproximately circular fiat bearing-surface at the heel-end, and thecurved bearing-walls at the front side of said bearing-surface, of thetongue having a circular bearing portion at its heel end adapted to saidbearing-surface and curved walls.

In testimony whereof I have aflixed my signature in presence of twowitnesses.

GEO. M. ERVIN. Witnesses:

LoRErTo M. OCONNELL, H. W. SMITH.

